slaughter



(No Model.)

N. H. SLAUGHTER. BRAGE 0R STAY FOR BEDSTEADS.

Patented N-ov.

UNITED STATES ATENT FF'ICE.

NICHOLAS H. SLAUGHTER, OF HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO D. S, GURLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

BRACE OR STAY FOR BEDSTEADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,037, dated November 18, 1890.

Application filed May 5 1890. Serial No. 350,705 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS II. SLAUGH- TER, a citizen of the United States, residing at High Point, in the State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braces or Stays for Bedsteads, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has relation to stays or braces for articles of furniture-such as bedsteads, chairs, lounges, &c.and has for its object the provision of an adjustable brace, stay, or cross-tie, which, being applied to the side bars of a bedstead having removable slats or to the frame-work of a chair or other seat, will permit of the sides being forced apart to allow the slats to be easily inserted and removed and to be drawn inwardly toward each other, so as to tighten or bind the slats in place, and thus render the structure steady and strong. The brace or stay is also applicable to bedsteads provided with other mattress-sustainin g devices for the purpose of tightening or relaxing the same.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In describing my invention it will only be necessary to explain the construction of the brace or stay as adapted for bedsteads, and show its application to such uses.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the body or frame of a bedstead provided with my improved stay or brace. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig 3 is a side view of one of the side rails of the bed, having a notched cleat for holding the end of the stay or brace.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows the frame of an ordinary slatted bedstead, of which A A are the side rails, 13 B the end rails, and C C C C the removable slats resting in recesses d in the slat-holding bars or cleats E E, fastened to the inner sides of the rails A A.

E designates the brace or stay, which is composed of two metallic rods or bars 6 e, having on their inner ends right and left hand screw-threads ff and coupled together by a shackle or loop nut G. The outer ends of the bars 6 e are squared and formed with square heads g g, which fit in mortises or recesses in the cleats E E and are held therein by means of notched metallic plates or cleats H H, the notches in said plates or cleats being of less width than the heads of the bars 6 to prevent the heads from being drawn out. The plates H are L-shaped in cross-section and are secured to the cleats E by screws h, so as to render them firm and rigid and perfectly secure against removal by strain, screws being inserted in the under sides of the side bars through the lower horizontal portions of the plates H and other screws inserted through the vertical portions of the plates H, through the cleats, and into the side bars of the bed, by which means the cleats and side bars are more firmly secured together. These screws pass through the cleats E andinto the side rails, and the plates H are preferably bent or angleshaped, so as to pass under the rails and cleats, to both of which they are fastened by screws. In this way the fastening of the cleats E to the rails is rendered secure against strain or rattling.

Two or more braces or stays may be used, if desired, but one is believed to be sufficient.

As will be clearly understood, the purpose of the brace or stay is to draw the side rails toward each other after the slats are in place, so as to make the parts tight and prevent the rails from being displaced or from rattling,and also to spread the side rails apart when necessary to allow the slats to be easily inserted and removed. The brace is adjusted by simply turning the shackle or loop nut in the proper direction, the effect being to lengthen or shorten the brace.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination, with the frame of a bedstead, having notched cleats attached to the side bars for the reception of the slats, said cleats having supplementary notches for the ends of an adjustable brace, of L-shaped notched plates H, secured to the side bars and to the cleats and having open-ended notches the sides of which overlap the sides of said supplementary notches, and a transverse adjustable tie or brace consisting of right and left handed threaded bars 6 Q, with squared and headed outer ends adapted to fit in the supplementary notches of the cleats and adapted to belowered into and lifted from said notches, and a connecting correspondinglythreaded nut, whereby the sides of the bed may be drawn together or forced apart by turning said nut, substantially as described.

2. In a bedstead, the combination, With the side bars, the notched cleats attached thereto, having supplementary notches for the recep- 

